For critically ill children, fresh blood transfusions may be no better than blood that has been stored for several weeks. Transfusions in seriously ill children are usually given to improve oxygen delivery and prevent organ failure, and some studies have suggested that newer blood is better. Now a blinded, randomized trial has found it is … Read more
“They have obsessive interests and tend not to notice social cues. The other person is leaning back, giving them all these cues but they don’t pick them up. They’re like a vehicle gaining momentum and the brakes don’t work.” Either way, interrupt sooner than you might be comfortable with, to see if the talker yields … Read more
SAN FRANCISCO — Facing longstanding criticism that they had not done enough to protect people from harassment, YouTube executives announced Wednesday that the video service would start policing material that insulted or demeaned others because of their race, gender or sexual orientation. The policy applies to videos and comments directed at anyone, including public officials, … Read more
Vehicles are a big part of our lives. Heck, Santa couldn’t deliver gifts without his sleigh. For loved ones who are motorheads or simply spend too many hours in their car, consider a gift that shows you’re thinking of them while they’re on the road. Don’t fret that you can’t surprise your spouse with a … Read more
If you use a work-issued laptop or desktop computer, you’ve likely been tempted to check your personal email, store private files on the company’s Google Drive, or avoid work entirely by diving into a research rabbit hole that has absolutely nothing to do with your job. You probably shouldn’t do any of this on a … Read more
Legislation was introduced on Tuesday that would hold tech companies more responsible for an explosion in online child sexual abuse material and give law enforcement agencies more opportunity to gather evidence of crimes. The bill, proposed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House and Senate, would require companies to retain information about illegal … Read more
WASHINGTON — Facebook executives and Attorney General William P. Barr sparred on Monday over whether encrypted messaging products should be open to law enforcement, escalating a standoff over privacy and policing. In a letter to Mr. Barr, the executives overseeing Facebook’s WhatsApp and Messenger, Will Cathcart and Stan Chudnovsky, wrote that creating a so-called backdoor … Read more
MUMBAI, India — India is poised to pass its first major data protection law, placing new restrictions on how corporations can collect and use information from the country’s 1.3 billion people. The legislation, which is set to be introduced in Parliament this week after more than a year of discussion, builds on Europe’s recently enacted … Read more
When a Chandelier Falls on Your Head All I ever wanted was a dog, but Carlito was allergic and unmovable. I married him anyway, certain that love would prevail. One night while eating with friends in a Manhattan restaurant, a 50-pound chandelier broke out of the ceiling, partly striking my head. I bled; he wept. … Read more
Has Earth grown larger from the buildup of decaying vegetation through the ages? — Robert in Spartanburg, S.C. Earth isn’t getting bigger. It’s actually getting smaller! Decaying vegetation does pile up across the planet, but not everywhere equally. Wind and rain erode the ground over time, and even where leaves and other vegetation do gradually … Read more
Most of us already know that self-care is good for us. Research shows that people who practice self-care have better quality of life, are admitted less frequently to a hospital, and live longer than those who report poor self-care. While self-care is a simple concept, it can be remarkably difficult to enact. It may feel … Read more
Some recent reports have suggested that women who give birth by cesarean section are more likely to have obese children. But a large new study found no link between the method of birth and obesity. Swedish researchers tracked medical records of 97,291 men born between 1982 and 1987, following them to age 18. The study … Read more
Pete Frates, a former college baseball player whose participation in the social media phenomenon known as the Ice Bucket Challenge helped raise more than $100 million toward fighting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as A.L.S. or Lou Gehrig’s disease, died on Monday at his home in Beverly, Mass. He was 34. His death was announced … Read more